Kitekite
by autumn-leaf16
Summary: Kite dream novel, the OC and Kite met when they were small, but she then moved to Okinawa. However, when they met again, she discovered that he has become very different from the boy that she used to play with.


_**Author's Note:**_ _**Kite actually means come here, and I think when you want some to come to where you are, you can say 'Kitekite', which really means come here come here. So the title as well as the story, involves that pun.**_

* * *

Okinawa

The young girl was so occupied with chasing and coxing the kitten that she failed to notice the nearby boy who was hoping to finish the book he was reading in silence.

"_Kitekite!_" she yelled out to the cat again, hoping to make it come to her. But the kitten merely gave another miao and resumed grooming itself.

The young girl was in a dress that was clearly not suitable to wear around the beach. She also had buckled shoe that were definitely not meant to be climbing rocks. However, she did not seem to mind getting wet or dirty at all. She saw the kitten when she snuck out from her mother's workplace, and she ended up followed it all the way to the rocky part of the beach, determined to take the cat home with her.

At the repetition, the boy sighed and closed his book. Unlike the girl, he easily climbed on the rock and scooped the kitten into his arms, and then made his way back without any difficulty.

"Here is your cat." He told her very briskly.

"That was so amazing!" the girl laughed out as she clapped her hands in delight.

"It is nothing. But you certainly can't do it in that." He said as he gestured to the dress with his gaze, since he was still holding the kitten.

"I don't have anything else although mummy says that she would buy me some suitable clothing when she gets her first pay." The little girl said before she admitted the following with a slight embarrassment. "I can't really understand what you are saying because I don't really understand Okinawa dialect that well yet."

"Are you the daughter of the woman who came back from Tokyo?" he asked, suddenly recalling one of the latest gossips.

A few years ago, one of the examples of the younger generation having too much freedom with too little morale had married an American Japanese solider that was posted at one of the American bases in Okinawa. The groom was Eurasian with families at the mainland, so his bride decided to wait for him to finish there.

"I know that it would not last." Kite recalled his mother saying. "That man is so Americanized that the only reason he speak Japanese is that it helps him to flirt with our girls. As for her…everyone knows what she is like."

The truth was naturally not that extreme, but that was the nature of gossips. It was built on truth.

"What is Tokyo like?" he asked curiously.

"Different yet similar. Mummy didn't get along with the grandfather and grandmother there, but she is not getting on along with the grandfather and grandmother here." She said bluntly before she finally took the kitten from him. "You made me chase after you for so long! I will name you Kitekite then, as I need to tell you to come here so many times."

"Do you have to?" the boy immediately protested before he explained. "My last name is Kite."

"Then it is even more suitable." She said with a giggle. "As you helped me to find him."

* * *

Their next meeting happened a few days later. This time, the little girl was in much more suitable beachwear although she still had difficulty in climbing up the rocks since she was holding onto her kitten with some books in a large basket.

Kite was not the most friendly boy, but he was taught of the basic manner.

"I will take that for you." He said as he stretched out his hand to take the basket.

Because of this, it seemed natural for her to sit down beside him.

"I am really worried about going to school." She confessed, referring to what would soon happen. "I can't understand Okinawa dialect that well yet, despite speaking it with my grandparents."

"It is not hard." He told her. "But did your mother never speak it with you before?"

"Not really." She answered before she noticed something rather alarming. "Kitekite! Don't wonder off!"

"I will think that is it me that you are talking to." He complained before he decided. "Why don't you call me by my first name? It is Eishirou."

"Then it is only fair for you to use my first name as well. My name is Hanada Akiko."

They continued to meet at the beach, playing together as children would. By the end of their holidays, Akiko ended up being able to speak rather fluent Okinawa dialect since that was what they conversed in. When they were tired of playing they would often talk, with Akiko talking about her time in Tokyo while he shared stories of his trainings.

They were both starting their second year of elementary school although it was not the same one. This naturally meant that the time they played together lessened, but they still tried to go to the beach every Sunday.

It was a very normal friendship of two children who met by chance.

One day, when he happened to walk pass the beach after school, he found Akiko there. She was actually hugging her knees while her head was buried between her knees. Upon taking a few steps closer, he realised that she was crying.

"What is wrong?" he asked gently, sitting beside her.

"Eishirou-kun?" she stared at him for a few seconds before she began to cry again. "They were pulling my hair and laughing at me and someone then stuck gum in my hair. One of them even said that I am a 'slut' like mummy. I don't know that that means but I know that it is a bad word."

Even though children were often not fully aware of what was going on, they could sense that there was something wrong and grasp some of the pieces.

Akiko's mother worked at the bar as a hostess who drank with the customers and it so happened that she became friendly with one of the customers. Their relationship was debatable but his wife certainly believed that the worst had happened when she saw the two of them walking together. Their son who witnessed the fight that followed then took his anger out on Akiko, repeating some of the words that his mother had said.

"When did this happen?" Kite finally asked.

"After school, at the entrance."

"I will come and wait for you tomorrow. I will make them sorry if they dare to harm you." Kite declared out. "But first, let us get the gum out."

"Eishirou-kun…why are you helping me?" the young girl muttered instead of standing up with him.

"Aren't we friends?" Kite was now the one who was surprised. "I thought we are."

"I wasn't sure whether we are because it is not that easy to tell with you. But I am really glad that you think we are friends."

"I…I don't really know how to behave at times as I spend so much time training." He admitted.

"But now I know." Saying so, she finally smiled. "But I thought you say that is against the teaching of martial art to pick fights."

"I am not picking any fights. I am protecting you."

* * *

Since their life was idyllic, it would be quite some time before Kite found Akiko crying by the beach again. However, this was due to a completely different reason this time.

"Mummy says that daddy is going to be with us from now on." She began. "That means we are going back to Tokyo."

"For how long?" Kite asked, now feeling very grim as well.

"I don't know!" at this she began to cry again. "But daddy doesn't like here at all…"

"But do _you _have to go as well?"

Once again, she nodded. "I don't want to go because I don't even really like Tokyo. My grandparents here are much nicer then the ones in Tokyo and I don't even really know daddy. Besides, Eishirou-kun is the best friend that I can ever have."

"I will write to you." Kite decided that he had to cheer her up as he thought that he was the luckier one, as he was the one who gets to stay in Okinawa. The eight year old boy already had a very strong pride in his native region.

"Me too, I am sure that I will feel better that way." She said. "And mummy did say that I might be able to come back to visit my grandparents."

The two of them decided to go to the nearby shop as Akiko said that she wanted to have something to remind her of Okinawa.

In the end, she brought a key ring that she would use as a cell phone decoration once she reached her junior high school year. Once this shopping was done, the two of them decided to visit their favourite food stall and order the goya yakisoba that they always shared as it was too much for two children.

"Akiko-chan is leaving us?" The stall owner said regretfully as these two children were always so fond of his food since they first came. The little girl crying about the bullying she had suffered while the little boy was trying to cheer her up. "Then it is on me this time, with an extra gift of a glass of goya juice each."

"I am sure that your yakisoba is the best." Akiko told him. "I will miss it."

"Then you and Eishirou-kun must come back to my stall as soon as you return to Okinawa. Promise?"

The young girl nodded before she took the first bite.

"It is really bitter today." She said before she quickly added. "But I still like it."

"It is not the goya, Akiko-chan." The stall owner told her before he smiled. "But this means that you are a true person of Okinawa as you are so fond of goya."

* * *

Kite helped her to pack and during this, her cat eagerly jumped on him.

"I will even miss you." He muttered as he pulled the cat off him, as there were many times when Akiko would come to the beach with this cat.

"Kitekite, don't be like this." Akiko said as she tried to help him. Her cat seemed to decide that Kite would be his new bed.

"To think that I finally got used to his name." Kite muttered. "I finally stop turning around every time you call out Kitekite."

"Then I will think you of you whenever I call him." she smiled. "It is a good name then."

"For that along, it is not that bad a name." he admitted.

* * *

Tokyo

Opening her eyes, Akiko saw that her cat had decided to climb onto her pillow- which meant that her pillow's life was shortened even more due to the scratches.

Her grandfather did not like cats but her father insisted that his daughter must be allowed to keep her pet. That was probably when the young girl stopped resenting him for taking her away from Okinawa, as she was finally willing to talk to him.

Now, Akiko was fairly happy with her life. Her parents had arguments but they had grown up as well, so the argument would never get really serious. She was also close with both of her parents now. Her father was doing quite well in his job as they moved into this nice area and sent her to the fairly posh Seishun Gauken.

The best news came last night- her parents told her that she could spend her holidays in Okinawa. She could finally return there after seven years. If she could, she would have gone there for her holidays when she graduated from elementary school, but they had to go and see her paternal grandmother and her new family in America. As a result of that holiday, they had to save quite a bit and it was not that good a holiday as the young girl's English was definitely not good enough.

"I feel like that in Okinawa." Her father pointed out.

"But they speak Japanese as well." She argued back.

* * *

She started writing to Kite about this but didn't end up finishing the letter. The two of them wrote less due to the possession of a cell phone, but they still wrote to one another.

"Akiko! Hurry up!" Her mother yelled out. "Don't forget that you have to take Kitekite to the vet for his vaccination shot."

"I'm coming. She yelled back before she turned to her cat. "I know that you hate this but you have to get it done. It will only take a few seconds."

Her cat had never been very obedient as she had to have Kite's help in order to get hold of him, and she often had to repeat his name more then once. The rest of the time she used the word _Kite, _she was often using the word in its original meaning instead of as the name of her cat.

"Hanada-kun…are you really alright?" Ooishi asked worriedly when he saw his neighbour, who had quite some scratches all over her arm.

"Don't worry, he's just like that whenever we go to the vet." Akiko assured him.

She was very glad that she had such a nice neighbour but he did tend to worry a bit too much at times. But then, that was what made Ooishi such a nice person.

"Good luck for your first match." She told him. "Our school's tennis team is having their first game in the nationals, right?"

"Yes. But Hanada-kun, I am actually not playing today." He reminded her.

"Oh, I am sorry." In her embarrassment, she quickly sought to change the subject. "But it's funny as my childhood friend might have been playing against you as he is in Higa Chuu. Who would I cheer for then?"

"Isn't he in the tennis team anymore?"

"I am not fully sure because he never quite explained about what happened with his tennis when he got to his second year. I think he probably didn't make it but is too embarrassed in telling me. He can be quite proud at times. I am sure that he would tell me if he is here today."

"That is a shame."

"I know, as he is quite interested in tennis and junior high finally gave him a chance of playing it. Before, he was always doing martial training."

"But what about the rest of the team? Do you know any of them?"

"No, I only know Eishirou-kun due to a chance meeting thanks to Kitekite here. I didn't actually go to his school But I better go now." Akiko said. "I don't want to miss the appointment."

"Eishirou-kun?" Ooishi repeated this to himself with a slight frown. "Is it a coincidence?"

* * *

The cage Akiko was forced to use for her cat due to him never being willing to go to the vet was rather worn out due to his past struggles. Due to the fear of him escaping, Akiko tended to head straight home. However, she felt like going to the tennis court even though neither of her friends seemed to be playing.

She was just about to wave to Ooishi when she suddenly noticed the scoreboard.

"Kite Eishirou?" she whispered out in disbelieve. "But why? Why didn't you tell me?"

That soon didn't matter because she saw a very different side of her childhood friend. Who would believe that he was the same person who told her that martial art was ultimately meant to be defensive instead of offensive? Even worse was the fact that she had actually been in contact with him ever since.

Either she didn't know anything, or he didn't let her know anything.

To see him not doing anything while all these things were happening were bad enough because even though he did not participate, it seemed that it was only because he couldn't be bothered as he did not seem to mind the others in his team doing so.

This was the same boy that found her cat for her? The same boy who gently washed out the gum in her hair and who walked her home for a whole month due to the fear of her being bullied? The same boy who send her seashells with some grain of sands in his letter when she complained about how far the beach was.

But things got worse when he began to play Tezuka, as what he did had no excuses. However, that actually made her certain of his identity because she recalled seeing that same determination on his face so many times.

"Hanada-kun, maybe you should go home as this clearly surprised you." Ooishi began kindly.

"No…I…I want to talk to him. Can you just hold onto Kitekite for me?" Upon saying so, she went up to the team from Higa.

Approaching them made her feel better because she could hear them comforting their captain, indicating that they obviously did care about one another.

"What do you want?" Kai demanded. There was certainly no reason for him to greet a stranger so cheerfully given that they were not in the best of mood.

"I want to talk to Ei- I mean, Kite-kun." She said. Even though she could speak in Okinawa dialect, her Japanese was not accented as she did grew up in Tokyo. Therefore, the others did not realise that she was sort of from Okinawa as well.

"Well, what do you want? I make no apologies." Kite stated bluntly, thinking that she was related to someone in Seigaku.

"No, that is not what I want to say. I…I…"

Akiko did not know what to say because she had not been prepared for what she should say at all, and in addition, his change and his current manner really made her doubt whether she could talk to him the way she tended to on the phone.

"Look, I am actually quite busy." Kite said impatiently.

'Yes…I am sorry." Akiko muttered. "But I…I am…"

"Hanada-kun! Your cat ran away!" Ooishi yelled out worriedly as he ran to her with the empty cage- the evidence of how the cat managed to break the already fragile lock.

"Don't worry, Ooishi-kun, it is not the first time that Kitekite did this." in her haste to prevent Ooishi from feeling bad as she thought that this whole thing was due to her own negligence, she did not realise that she actually ended up announcing her own identity. "I am sorry for bothering you, Kite-kun."

She was just thinking of where her cat had ran off too when her phone suddenly rang. Without thinking she picked it up even though she did not even know who the caller was.

"Hello? I am very busy now so I will ring you later…" she began automatically.

"Akiko-chan…I didn't recognise you…" Kite muttered.

"Sorry Eishirou-kun…I'll ring you back later."

She hung up as she needed time to think.

* * *

It was not that hard to find her cat as Akiko had worked out where his favourite hiding place was. However, it was not easy to get him down, especially when she was in a dress with high heeled sandals.

"Kitekite! Come down!" she yelled out. "Kitekite!"

"What is it?"

"I wasn't calling your name. Haven't you realised that I have never actually called you Kite-kun?" she answered automatically, what she always used to when he made the mistake of thinking that she was addressing him.

"You just did so some minutes ago." He corrected her. "But you are still not able to get him."

Without saying anything more, he made his way up and grabbed hold of the cat.

"It is almost as if we are children again as the circumstances are not that different." Kite said.

"I wasn't afraid of you then." Akiko whispered as she hugged her cat to her.

"Do you think that I would hurt you? Do you think that I would hit you?"

"I know you won't, but I am still a bit scared at seeing you like that."

"That is why I didn't tell you about me being in the tennis club. I didn't want you to know. But Akiko-chan, you don't have to be so extreme."

"Well, it is a big change." She pointed out. "But Eishirou-kun, it is not as if I was actually doing something dramatic. I just wanted to have some time to think. Besides, I really did want to find Kitekite first. I would have rang you back later."

"We are not children anymore so things naturally change." Kite pointed out. "But some things don't change. No matter what, you are still my closest friend. No…that did change too. It is more then that. You are not just my friend."

"Ei…Eishirou-kun?"

Much to her surprise, he actually grabbed her hand, but this was very different from what he did when they were both children.

"I think that is why I didn't tell you about what has been happening with the tennis club. I know that you would be angry and I was afraid at what would happen. I was afraid of your reaction. I don't want to lose this friendship, and the possibility of being more then friends."

"Eishirou-kun, I am not just going to stop being your friend. Despite this…I don't think this is enough to condemn you, but as to whether we can become more then friends…" at this Akiko blushed. "I wouldn't know how to answer even without all this thing about tennis."

* * *

Okinawa

This time, the teenage boy was so absorbed in reading the letter in his hand that he didn't notice the girl who was approaching him by climbing over the rocks.

It was the second day of their holiday and he had decided to retreat to his favourite place, thinking about his plans for the holiday. He and his friends naturally made plans, but he also left some space for Akiko, as she said that she would be coming back to Okinawa.

But much to his annoyance, she did not say when.

"'Sooner then you think'. That is not helpful." He said out aloud as he put down the letter.

"What about now?"

"Akiko?!"

"I wanted to surprise you." Akiko grinned. "But it is so good to be here again."

"We met here." He stated. "That yakisoba stall still exists."

"Then we will go there." She said firmly. "But Eishirou-kun, I have decided. I will be your girlfriend. Although I am very nervous as that would change so many things."

"I really think that this would work." Kite said firmly. "I think it is because you are different from all the other girls. Maybe it just because of that childhood bond, but unlike most people, you are willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.

"But most importantly, it is because I really like you." Kite said as he stood up and offered her his hand.

"It is the same with me." Akiko replied as she put her hand in his. "I like Eishirou-kun…I like Eishirou-kun the best."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_ I_** know, the ending is cliché, but I want it as I think it is cute.**_

_**I've actually wanted to write a Kite dream novel since I have wanted to do a Kite dream novel since one and half a year ago but I just didn't get around to writing it. But it was always this idea of a childhood friend with the pun on his name 'kitekite'. Although initially, it was going to be Kawamura who either become Akiko's relatives or neighbour. However, Ooishi ended up being her neighbour.**_

_**Due to playing tokiemiki, I was inspired by how Saeki and the PC meet in the beach and then met again.**_

_**Initially there was going to be some poking of fun at Akiko being part American as she would say that not everyone who is from America would lives in where Ehczien lived and met him. In addition, the reason that I made her part American is actually my attempt of trying to be realisict: a lecture told me that there are American bases in Okinawa and an article did say Japanese girls often do form relationship with the American men as they often give them more freedom. I actually didn't explain Akiko's family situation that clear in the story. Her mother is from Okinawa, her father is actually half Japanese. Her father's father is Japanese, but her father's mother is American, Caucasian American. However, they divorced so her paternal grandfather went back to Japan**_


End file.
